Tips for Being a Successful College Student

September 16, 2021

Grading in college is different than it is in high school. College classes will expect more and challenge you to be a better student and scholar. Since you may soon be graduating from high school or already have, you probably know how to be a good student, but there are a few things you might need to know about being a good college student.

• It's not about the grade. Unless you are thinking of applying to grad schools, grades are not really all that important. Here's an article by US News and World Report about whether or not GPA matters when applying for jobs. While of course higher grades look better on a resume, they aren't everything. It's more important that you are engaging with the course material and immersing yourself in the content.

• Talk to your professors. Go in for office hours, meet for lunch, or email occasionally about something from class. Most professors want to get to know their students because they spend most of their time teaching in front of you. Establishing a good rapport with your professors will make class more inviting, and give you a resource for when you are struggling with the course.

• You need to eat. Find someone to go eat a meal with, maybe someone who you have the same class with right before or after a meal, or a roommate or friend. If you can't find someone, be okay with eating alone. Seriously, it's something you will need to become okay with doing. Food is important, and skipping meals will only make you more fatigued and less motivated to carry on throughout the day. If you aren't a meal person, pack snacks to graze on"”anything to keep you filled and staying healthy.

• Go to the event. Events held on campus are excellent opportunities to meet new people and be more involved on campus. Not everyone is a social butterfly, but going to a couple events throughout the semester can be a great way to have fun and let loose. Part of being a good student is pacing yourself and giving yourself opportunities to relax, so if an event is coming up that  looks interesting, go to it!

• Get enough sleep. Being well rested is fundamental to starting the day strong. According to the CDC, college-age people should be getting at least seven hours of sleep every night. Although the amount of sleep people individually need varies, making sure that you feel well-rested by listening to what your body needs is important.

College is a time for maturing both academically and in life, and so becoming more involved with self care and managing your own needs is important to being successful. College is also an exciting journey filled with new experiences and new people. You have so many memorable moments ahead of you, and it's important that you make the most of your experience! These tips are just a few of the ways you can be a good college student, but this is by no means a complete list. Hopefully these tips were helpful, and good luck on a good school year!